


the heart speaks

by torigates



Category: Bones (TV)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-11-11
Updated: 2013-11-11
Packaged: 2018-01-01 03:43:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,563
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1039945
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/torigates/pseuds/torigates
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“It’s Sunday night. Let me take you out for dinner. You deserve a break.”</p>
            </blockquote>





	the heart speaks

“What are you doing tonight?”

Booth’s voice was rich and deep over the phone.

“I’m still at work, Booth,” Brennan said. He had been talking for approximately thirty minutes about some sports team or another; Brennan hadn’t really been paying attention.

Booth huffed, and for some reason Brennan could picture him rolling his eyes in frustration. There was no evidence to suggest it was true, but Brennan couldn’t shake the feeling. “I know, Bones,” he said. “I called you, remember?”

Brennan typed some data into her computer before answering him. “You’re obviously distracted,” she said. “It’s not unreasonable for me to assume the fact slipped your mind.”

“Okay, Bones,” he said. Brennan could tell he was simply humouring her, and she found that annoying. “So,” he said drawing out the word after a pause, “What are you doing to tonight?”

“I’m working,” Brennan said, briefly losing track of the bone analysis she was supposed to be inputting.

“Come on, Bones,” Booth said. “It’s Sunday night. Let me take you out for dinner. You deserve a break.”

Brennan hesitated. She remembered a time when she would have rejected him outright, citing work or tiredness, or just coming up with an excuse. Tonight none of those reasons come to mind. Her work could wait until tomorrow, and while she was tired, she did have to eat.

“All right,” she said. “Pick me up at my apartment in an hour.”

Again, she could hear Booth’s grin in her ear. “Wear something nice,” he said.

Brennan put down the phone and stared at her computer for a moment, before deciding that she had done enough work for the night. She powered down, gathered her things, and walked out through the lab.

Brennan enjoyed the Jeffersonian at night. During the day everything was bright and loud and busy. At night it was peaceful, and Brennan often came after hours to accomplish things she couldn’t do during the day with interns and colleagues vying for her attention and expertise. At night she worked for herself, and generally that was the way Brennan liked it, but after working with Booth for four years, she had learned to appreciate working as part of a team as well.

Back at her apartment Brennan showered and changed. She was fastening her necklace when Booth knocked on her door. When she finally got her necklace on and the door open, Booth greeted her with a grin and a bottle of wine.

“I thought we were going out?” Brennan asked, slightly confused.

“We are,” Booth said. “This is for you.” He held it out for her to take.

Brennan stared at him. “I don’t understand.”

Booth sighed and rolled his eyes. “It’s a gift, Bones. I’m just trying to be nice. We can drink it together next time.” Brennan still didn’t move. Booth sighed again. “Just take it so we can go.”

Brennan looked at him suspiciously for a moment longer before taking the offered bottle from his hands. Booth took a few steps into her apartment while Brennan went to put the wine away and grab her coat.

“You look nice,” Booth called.

Brennan poked her head out from the kitchen, feeling flushed. “Thank you,” she said, and smiled.

Booth was waiting for her when she walked back out towards the door, and he helped her into her jacket, his hand on the small of her back as they walked out to the car together.

They were silent in the car, Booth focusing on the road. Brennan was preoccupied with watching Booth, so it took her longer than it normally would have to notice that they weren’t driving down familiar streets.

“Aren’t we going to the Founding Fathers?” Brennan asked.

Booth shook his head, but didn’t take his eyes off the road. “Nah,” he said. “I thought we’d try something different.”

Brennan looked at him, confused, but didn’t say anything. Booth was always doing things that Brennan didn’t understand, and generally he would eventually explain himself to her. In the meantime, Brennan tried not to let his bizarre actions trouble her. She had learned long ago that logic didn’t work when it came to Booth.

He pulled into the parking lot for a little restaurant Brennan had heard of, but never been to before, and jumped out of the car, running around to get her door. Brennan gave him another funny look, but let it slide. Another thing Brennan had learned about Booth was liked to help her do things she didn’t need help doing.

When he offered his arm, Brennan took it without hesitation.

Inside the restaurant Booth gave his name to the hostess when she asked if they had a reservation. She nodded and ushered them to a table.

“You made a reservation?” Brennan asked quizzically once they were seated.

He brushed it off. “I called when I was on the way to your place,” he said nonchalantly.

Brennan cocked her head to the side. Usually when they got dinner it was a spur of the moment decision, or an after work thing.

Booth shrugged. “I wanted to make sure they had space,” he said.

She nodded slowly. It was a logical explanation, but somehow it seemed strange to her. The whole night had a strange feeling that Brennan couldn’t quite place.

She looked around the restaurant; it was dimly lit and more intimate than the places they normally went to, but Brennan thought it was nice. It was busier than she’d expect for a Sunday night.

Booth distracted her through the meal, telling her stories about Parker, joking about Sweets, and joining in on her stories about the week’s events at the lab, and what was going on with Max, Russ and his girls. It was an enjoyable meal, and Brennan realised how rare these kinds of nights were. They were always working on investigations, or dealing with the aftermath of a case that they hardly ever had time to relax.

It was nice.

“Would you like to look a dessert menu?” Brennan startled when their waiter appeared next to them.

Booth looked at her, letting her make the decision. “No, thank you,” she said.

He set the cheque down on their table and walked away. Brennan reached for her purse.

“I got it, Bones,” Booth said. He pulled out his wallet and put some cash down.

Brennan frowned. “We can at least split it,” Brennan said, reaching for the bill.

Booth pulled it away. “I said I got this one. You can get the next one if it really bothers you.”

She sighed. “You always say that.” She sat back in her seat and crossed her arms over her chest.

“And I always let you get the next one,” he said. “We’re partners, right?” Brennan nodded. “Then we should share things. Just let me get dinner tonight.”

Brennan sighed again, but nodded.

They gathered their things, Booth’s hand a steady presence at the small of her back. The air was crisp, and stung Brennan’s cheeks after the warmth of the restaurant.

The night sounds were muffled in the car. Brennan watched Booth start the car and reverse out of the parking lot. He turned and grinned at her. “I had fun, Bones. Thanks for coming with me.”

“Yeah,” she said. “It was nice.” His grin widened and Brennan felt herself become infected with it.

“Better than a night at work?” he asked.

She laughed and shook her head. “Yes, Booth. Are you happy?”

He looked extremely satisfied. “Yes.” He flashed his grin in her direction one more time before turning his attention to the road.

When he pulled into the visitor lot at her apartment, Booth got out of the car to walk up to her place. Brennan felt warm and sleepy after their car ride.

Upstairs, Booth leaned against her frame waiting for Brennan to unlock the door.

“Do you want to come in for a coffee?” Brennan asked.

Booth smiled down at her, his eyes warm. “Nah,” he said. “It’s late, and you’re probably eager to get to the lab early tomorrow morning.”

Brennan had to smile at that, but she couldn’t help the rush of disappointment that flooded through her. She went to head inside, but Booth stopped her with a hand on her elbow. She turned back to face him, unsure what to make of the look in his eyes. It was warm and familiar, and more that Brennan didn’t understand. She couldn’t read him, but she knew eventually he would explain it to her. His hand slid down her arm, fingers lingering around her wrist, and Brennan looked down to where their hands were joined.

Booth leaned in and gave her a kiss on the cheek. “Happy Valentine’s Day, Bones,” he said.

She had completely forgotten. Brennan normally didn’t pay attention to Valentine’s Day unless she had a boyfriend, or Angela to remind her. It seemed trivial, antiquated. Yet she couldn’t deny that she had a good time with Booth.

When Brennan looked up, he was smiling again. “Good night,” he said.

“Good night, Booth.” He walked down the hall, and Brennan smiled to herself as she watched him, now leaning against the door in the same place he had been a moment earlier. Just before he turned around the corner in her hall, he glanced back in her direction, offering her one last smile. 


End file.
